Improved apparatus for extinguishing fires



lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

JOHN F. BOYN'ION, OF SYRAOUSE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR. EXTINGUISI-IING- FIRES.

Speeaton forming part of Letters Patent No. 91,304, dated June 15, 1869.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN F. BoYNToN, ofSyracuse, in the county of Onondaga and State of New York, have inventeda new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Extinguishing Fires; and Ido hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription thereof.

My invention relates to that class of apparatus in which water chargedwith carbonicacid gas is thrown by the expansive force of the gasgenerated upon the tire.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use myinvention, I will proceed to describe it, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making part of my specification, in which- Figure 1 isa sectional view of my apparatus, and Fig. 2 a view of the tubecontaining the acid-chamber.

The body of the apparatus is made of any desirable material of suitablestrength to resist the pressure of the gas generated within it. In thetop is an-opening, from which extends a collar, B, within the generator,at the lower edge of which is an annular flange, b, projecting inwardly.The upper part of said collar is formed with a screw-thread, to engagethe thread on the screw-plug C, which is intended to close the opening.From the said collar B a tube, D, extends into the generator, beingsupported by a shoulder, d, on its upper part, which rests on the flangeb of the collar B. This tube is designed to contain the acid chamber orvessel E, and is perforated or provided with longitudinal openings, asshown in Fig. 2. i

The acid-chamber consists of a glass bottle or capsule, lled with acid,and hermetically sealed, or otherwise securely closed by a stopper; orit may be made of lead, and the apparatus so constructed and arrangedthat pressure upon the upper end will cause the lower end to beperforated, so as to discharge the acid into the generating-chamber; butI prefer it made of glass and hermetically sealed.

Through the screw-plug C passes a screwrod, F, having attached to itslower end au inverted cup-shaped disk, F'. The upper part of saidscrew-rod is provided with an eye or' nut, in order that it may beturned by means of a rod or key. Instead of supporting the tube D by theshoulder b, it may be attached to the screw-plug C by means of abayonetjoint, as shown at H, Fig. 2, or by a screwthread, or in anyother suitable manner. It is in all cases so arranged that it may beremoved from the generator in order to insert the acid bottle orcapsule.

The solution is discharged through a pipe, I, extending from the bottomthrough the top of the apparatus.

When the apparatus is designed for use on railroad-cars, Src., in orderto insure the acid bottle or capsule against breakage from shocks andjars, I encircle it with rubber bands, or other equivalent elasticsubstance, and also arrange a spiral or other suitable spring inthebottom of the tube D, for the acid-vessel to ride upon.

I sometimes find it desirable to increase the size of the acid-chamber;and in that case I attach to the bottom of the generator a short tube,G, in which the end of' said acid-vessel rests, and the tube D is madewithout the iiange d' upon the lower end. A spiral or other suitablespring may be placed in this tube, and a Ametallic projection, g, may beattached to the bottom of the generator, within the tube, for the acidcapsule or bottle to break upon; or a similar projection for thatpurpose may be placed in the lower end of tube D.

To prepare the above apparatus for use, the screw-plug C and tube D areremoved, and the solution of carbonated salts or other chemical fllledin through the opening. The acid bottle or capsule E is then inserted inthe tube D, and the whole properly inserted in the generator, which isthen closed by means of the screw-plug.

When it is desired to use the apparatus, it is only necessary to turnthe screw-rod F, which forces the disk F upon the acid bottle orcapsule, and breaks the neck against the flange df, or breaks orpunetures the lower end by pressing it upon the projection g. The acid,mixing with the solution of carbonate, decomposes it, disengagin gcarbonic-acid gas, which generates the pressure necessary to dischargethe contents of the generator.

The acid-vessel should be so constructed or arranged that when pressureis brought to 3. The method of liberating the acid by breaking orpiercing the acid bottle or capsule, substantially as described.

4. The employment of rubber bands, or equivalent elastic substance, andspring, in combination with the acid bottle or capsule, for the purposeherein described.

5. As a new article of manufacture, the hermetieally-sealed capsules,containing acid, as

herein described.

JOHN F. BOYNTON. Witnesses:

Jos. L. CooMBs, EDM. F. BROWN.

